


Atonement Fix-it

by embersandturquoise



Category: Atonement (2007), Atonement - Ian McEwan, James McAvoy - Fandom
Genre: A view into the future, Benedict Cumberbatch - Freeform, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Good Robbie has climbing experience, Happy Ending, Happy Forever, In Love, In fact this has real plot, In love with Robbie Turner, James Mcavoy - Freeform, Keira Knightley - Freeform, Kissing, Making Love, Oral Sex, Paul Marshall gets what he deserves, Robbie and Cecilia, Robbie and Cecilia deserve the world, Robbie deserves better, Robbie does not get arrested, Saoirse Ronan - Freeform, Sweet love, some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:48:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28476441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embersandturquoise/pseuds/embersandturquoise
Summary: Starting from Robbie´s return with the missing twins, the happenings turn out different and justice is made.
Relationships: Cecilia Tallis/Robbie Turner
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. Interrogation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Seraphina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seraphina/gifts).



> TRIGGER WARNING for mentioning of violence and attempted rape!  
> *******************
> 
> First of all, thanks very much to Seraphina for gifting me with ideas and proof-reading this story :*.  
> I always love to find mutuals who love "Atonement" and especially Robbie as much as I do. As the film´s ending (as well as the novel´s) always leaves me in tears, I was more than glad they get heir happy ending. So I can´t thank you enough for inspiring me to finally write this.
> 
> Original ideas belong to Seraphina, I just brought them onto my writing canvas (hach, I feel like Robbie *g*; not sure if anyone here heard the interview James McAvoy did last year, describing Robbie as a canvas to project on...)
> 
> Robbie really is THE character that is closest to my heart and I love him dearly.
> 
> I´m curious how you like it and love to hear your opinion on the outcome. :*

When Robbie´s tall figure appears out of the shadows, they all heave a sigh. It´s Pierrot sitting on his shoulderss and Jackson leans sleepily into his waist, holding onto Robbie´s hand. Robbie casts a smile and wonders why everyone is looking at him with such powerful emotion. He can´t tell what´s going on, he searches Cecilia´s eyes and she shakes her head barely visible for the rest of the gathered crowd. It seems everyone is there on the terrace; Mrs. Tallis and Briony stare at Robbie with clear disgust, and then Robbie spots the policemen.

“Mr. Turner?”

“Yes?”

His voice crackles and suddenly he feels an unpleasant twitch in his stomach.

_What is happening here?_

“We´ve got some questions. Please come with us.”

Robbie follows and when he passes Cecilia they exchange a desperate look. Robbie reaches out to touch her and she slips a note into his hand.

They walk, one of the officers in front, the other behind him, like he´s already a prisoner or at least soon-to-be-prisoner. Robbie looks back at the man with the dark moustache who seems just some years his senior.

The older policeman positions himself at the chair behind the desk in the library and Robbie swallows visibly with the memory of what has happened here just some hours before. He had been planning to continue exactly there. Not here, not at all, there would be other places... but all he could think about during the long and exhausting dinner was the scent of Cecilia, the feeling of her smooth skin under his hand, how she had closed her eyes... they way she had said his name when...

“Sir?”

“Uhm... sorry.”

Robbie brings his thoughts back to here and now.

“Where did you find the boys?”

“Er... they were walking down the path to the cottage where my mother and I live. Didn´t get far, they´re so small.”

He laughs a nervous laugh and he feels the need for a cigarette but doesn´t dare to ask. The younger officer writes his answer down.

“Did you encounter anyone on your way there and back?”

“No. No one else. We started walking from here and then we split up immediately. I guess, Briony walked over to the garden and Cecilia... Ms. Tallis...”

“Hm hm... I see. Another question: what is the nature of your relationship with Ms. Cecilia Tallis?”

Robbie feels his cheeks burning.

_What is he supposed to say? Would he do Cecilia any good if he..._

“Mr. Turner?”

“Uhm...”

He can´t speak.

The officer stares at him and as Robbie still refuses to reply - because the thoughts are whirling in his mind, he´s unsure what he´s allowed to say, he´s anxious not to get Cecilia in trouble, he doesn´t understand why that is an issue right now... - the officer pulls out a paper. A paper, folded and crumpled, but Robbie would recognize that piece of paper even if he had found it burnt to leave only edges.

“Obviously you have a... let´s say... very physical desire for some sort of relationship with Ms. Tallis. Is this your letter, Mr. Turner?”

Robbie turns red face to throat and his fists clench, he´s angry and he´s agitated, he´s about to kick the chair and in his vision he springs up, attacking the policemen but he stays calm and breathes. He´s in control, he can keep it together, there´s nothing... but yes, there is something... there´s everything.

_How did the letter even get into the hands of a policeman? How..._

_Briony!!!_

His vision goes blank and then there are voices and he falls... and falls...

Cold water.

Robbie splutters and spits, his stomach turns and he feels a terrible ache in his head.

“Is he awake?”

“I´ve never seen a man faint.”

“Mommy?”

“Ooh...”

Robbie touches for his head and sits up. The police officer looks at him in a very uncomfortable way.

“We really need answers, Mr. Turner. This young lady here made some serious accusations.”

“Accusations?”

Robbie turns around and faces Briony, who casts her eyes down and bites her lip. Her mother stands behind her, holding her shoulder, if in a supporting or caring way, Robbie can´t tell.

“The letter, Mr. Turner...”

Robbie takes a deep breath. To do this in front of her mother and her sister and all those men... It´s humiliating, but it´s his only chance. So he admits.

“I wrote the letter.”

“Unbelievable.”

“Obscene.”

“Lives under our wings...”

He hears the whisper and hissing behind him and he closes his eyes.

“Yes I did. But I never intended to give it to Cecilia. This was... it was just... thoughts... I´ve never intended to... Why am I being interviewed at all? What does this have to do with the missing boys? I´ve brought them back. Safe. Did anyone notice?”

He´s raging again, his cheeks blow and he spits. His light blue eyes turn dark and his eyebrows narrow. He can´t believe they´re doing this to him. After all... after all... after what at all? He doesn´t know anymore. He looks at Mrs. Tallis, sees the triumph in her eyes. Yes, she had never agreed with his position in this family. When Mr. Tallis had selected Robbie as his personal sponsoring project, it had stirred another storm in their already shaken relation. Robbie was fully aware of this, had always been but he had never thought she would use it against him.

“Uhm...”

Now the younger officer stands up.

“The young Ms. Tallis here tells us... ahem... Ms. Tallis please would you repeat what observed in this library at around 6 p.m. before everyone met for dinner?”

_Oh my god._

Robbie feels his stomach whirl. Hopefully he won´t throw up. He stares down Briony, how could she...?

“I... err... I´m not sure anymore... it was... very dark. Only one of those lamps... and...”

Robbie shakes his head. This is impossible.

“Just tell them. Tell them what you saw. Or I will.”

Briony shakes under his gaze. Then she throws him a stern look and starts anew.

“You attacked Cecilia. You pinned her against the bookshelf, she couldn´t...”

“I... what???”

Robbie is speechless. This is what she thinks?

The mind of a 13-year-old girl is something he will never understand.

“I´ve not... How do you come to think... why...?”

He´s lost of words.

“So what else was it you were doing with Ms. Tallis here?”

The voice of the officer sounds sharp now and Robbie knows he has to watch his words. He looks around. Where is Cecilia? Why isn´t she here? Not that he wants her to be here, how embarrassing would that be?

“We... uhm... must I really speak about it?”

“It seems you must.”

says the one officer, the other nods to Mrs. Tallis and the girl.

“At least get the child out of here.”

“I´m not...”

“Yes, girl you are. A child that has seen something and assumes something maybe, but obviously... uhm...”

He stops and looks at Robbie.

_At least there seems to be one person in this room that believes him._


	2. Meet me at midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbie is cleared and reads Cecilia´s note.

When they leave the room half an hour later, Robbie is cleared. He still can´t believe Briony told the officers he had done... that to Cecilia. Never ever would he do any harm to her. He loves her, she is precious to him, the most desirable woman in the world, his heart and his soul. To imagine he would do something like that...

“She´s a child, just a child...”

he whispers to himself.

The officers had immediately found prove in every detail of his story. It had been embarrassing, even after the ladies had left the room, but still... This was something he´d rather have kept private, especially given the fact that it had been the first time for both of them. He tries to shake the thoughts away. That should have been something that belonged to them only. Now everyone knows and he feels exposed and utterly vulnerable.

He straightens his jacket and combs his fingers through his hair, standing in the hall, pondering where to go, what to do now, as he remembers the note Cecilia had passed him earlier.

His hearts thuds and a broad smile forms on his lips. Then he hesitates.

_How in God´s name is he supposed to get into her room at night?_

He wanders through the hall and as the only chatter he hears emerging is that of the Tallis-family from out of the saloon, he decides to take a walk through the garden. The clear air lightens his whirling mind and he feels better, even the urge for smoking subsides. He walks by the fountain and thinks of the afternoon, the scene that had started everything.

_Cecilia in her wet underdress, everything revealed for him to see._

He feels his body react at the memory. The picture has imprinted itself vividly into his mind. He groans and shakes the thought away, focusing on a solution for tonight´s excursion. And when the low hanging branches of the willow tree are behind him and the shadows of the garden shed appear to his left, he knows.


	3. Lola

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cecilia faces Briony and cares for Lola. The true happenings come to light. Paul Marshall is arrested.

Cecilia is fuelled with agitation. Not only did her little sister let herself fall into one of her fantasies, almost sending Robbie to prison... thank God those policemen resolved the matter without too much dramatics, but so much embarrassment, so much anger has resulted from one dumb sentence.

“Cee...”

“Don´t call me that. And better you walk out of this room. Leave me be. I won´t see you now, Briony. You´ve almost ruined Robbie´s life, do you know that? Do you understand???”

She screams now, her younger sister terrified at her outburst.

“But Cee... Cecilia... I thought...”

“What you think isn´t worth anything anymore. You live in a world of dreams and tales. None of it is real. What... What did you intend? How could anyone think... something like that of Robbie? Robbie of all people. Briony...”

She´s in tears now. Still Briony is her little sister. The girl she has cared for so many years, she loved her, she still does, how can she not? She´s her sister... But today Briony has ripped a crack into her relationship that might take a long time to heal. At least now Cecilia is not able to speak to her.

“Go away, Briony. Please. I can´t...”

“Can you look after Lola please.”

Briony whispers, then she turns and leaves Cecilia alone.

_Lola..._

Cecilia suppresses a sigh.

_What now?_

Her cousin had been tense all the time and especially since Leon and his friend Paul Marshall had arrived. Cecilia cusses and walks over to the girls´ room.

Lola sits on her bed, her red curls sticking messily to her forehead, her eyes red and teary, she´s sniffling. Cecilia once more notices the markings on her forearms, around her wrists to be precise and she frowns.

The girl looks up and there´s a look in her eyes that makes Cecilia shudder.

She sits beside her and touches her hand to Lola´s arms.

“What has really happened, dear? I assume your brothers have nothing to do with – this.”

She nods to the red streaks. Lola shakes her locks silently.

“So what happened?”

The girl sobs and the tears begin to roll from her big blue eyes.

Cecilia waits. And waits more. The minutes tick away and she´s not sure how much time passes, but eventually Lola tells her everything.

“Paul Marshall? He´s such a nice humble man.”

Cecilia feels like she needs to vomit.

“Mother! I believe her. How can you not see...? How dare you...?”

She turns and shakes her head furiously.

“You´re never actually here. You don´t notice a thing.”

“Cecilia, don’t you dare speak to me like that.”

“Oh yes I dare, mother. And now I´m going to tell the police. And Leon. And father. And one more thing...”

She pauses and hardens herself. Her mother´s lean figure seems to have slumped down, she´s clearly moved but Cecilia knows she´s right. And she can´t take it any longer. Her mother holds her view, nodding slightly.

“I´m in love with Robbie.”

Cecilia spits out, then she turns on the spot and rushes downstairs.

Thank goodness the officers have not left yet. Cecilia finds them in the saloon, sharing scotch with her brother and – Cecilia gulps – Paul Marshall. Paul Marshall who sits in one of their leather chairs, his long legs dangling nonchalantly over the armrests, laughing. She´s disgusted. That laugh alone, but now as she knows what kind of a man he is, it´s even worse.

“Cee... come here.”

Leon waves her over and takes her into his arms, kissing the nape of her neck.

“Leon leave it.”

“What? We´re all good. Everything´s fine. Where´s Robbie? I thought he´d come back to join us.”

She throws her brother a stern look.

“Really Leon? Would you have wanted to ask him the details?”

Paul Marshall almost spills his drink.

“So it´s true. The son of the housekeeper... Cecilia...”

He grunts and she can see how he gets off on the thought alone.

“You are disgusting, Mr. Marshall. And I won´t have you speak to me like that. In fact, I won´t have you speak to me at all anymore. Because you... you will be going to jail this evening.”

Another spill of scotch lands on the floor. Paul Marshall´s lips try a smile, and there´s sound forming in his throat, pretending to be a laugh but then he sits up and he looks around.

“Officers, this man...”

And Cecilia points to Paul Marshall who now uncomfortably shifts his lean figure around in the chair. His face has gone straight within seconds and anyone can tell he´s hiding something.

“... this man has attempted physical...”

“You better...”

Paul Marshall stands, his teeth gritting, his face a mask of anger and resentment. Cecilia swallows, but she goes on. The younger officer steps in front of her, keeping Paul Marshall from walking closer.

“You assaulted Lola, she has marks on her wrists, you tried to rape her, you threatened her...”

Cecilia cries now and the officers are sober from one moment to the next, circling Paul Marshall and tying his hands behind his back.

“You better not speak before we have you at the police station.”

The officers nod at each other and the older one approaches Paul Marshall.

“Paul Marshall, you are herewith arrested for attempted rape of the girl Lola. You may consult your lawyer and you´re entitled to remain silent...”

The rest of their words drown in the frantic chattering that now starts all around Cecilia.

“Where is Lola?”

“She´s asleep. I´ve called for a nurse. She needs to be examined. The woman will stay overnight.”

Leon shakes his head in disbelief.

“Look at my sister. You are the most...”

“Shut up, Leon. Anyone would have... No, not anyone. And to be true; did you never notice anything awry with him? The moment he walked into our house...”

Cecilia shudders at the memory and she commits to herself, trusting her first impressions more.

“I´m sorry, Cee.”

Leon´s face shows true sorrow.

“I know. You didn´t intend. Select your friends more diligently.”

“I will. Will you now join us?”

Leon smiles again. He´s clearly much less affected than she is. Cecilia heaves a big sigh.

“No. I´ll go to bed. This day really has left me overwhelmed.”

“Are you sure? Do you need anything?”

Leon kisses her head gently.

“I´m sure. Goodnight Leon.”

“Goodnight Cee.”

She rushes out of the room. It´s almost midnight. She´s excited and agitated still and she needs to change into something else... Cecilia stops on the stair and looks down at herself. She is still wearing the silken green dress, the dress in which...

She gasps at the memory of Robbie´s hands on her breasts and... there.

_No... she definitely will wear something else._


	4. What took you so long?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbie and Cecilia meet in her room.  
> This is where the smut happens. Very romantically, i hope though ;)

Robbie laughs lowly as he arranges the long ladder on the brick wall. Good he had decided to change into more comfortable clothing; he´s now wearing the cotton slack and green shirt he usually takes on for working in the garden. Somehow he felt strange about climbing up to Cecilia´s window in his one good suit, and then there´s the fact, that he felt much better when he had fresh clothing on his body because... of reasons.

It takes him a while, and he´s grateful for his mountain escapes and the basic knowledge of climbing. Not that it´s a great height, but to do this in the middle of the night, everything around him dark and cold is not one of the most pleasant experiments of his life. But the anticipation of seeing Cecilia soon, holding her again... he hopes she will let him do that again, he longs to kiss her, to touch her and with every step on the wiggly ladder his excitement grows.

Eventually he is able to peer into the grand room that is Cecilia´s. The lights are dim, there´s only one on her nightstand and Robbie can´t spot Cecilia anywhere in the room. He listens for the sound of the tower clock. It must be midnight any minute, so where is she?

Shadows move on the wall and Robbie ducks away. He sighs as he recognizes Cecilia´s slim figure and he gasps. She wears nothing but a white nightgown, still her body is only visible in parts for him, but the smooth fabric touching to her skin is more enticing than anything. The dress wraps tightly around her waist and ends only inches below her behind, leaving her thighs bare. Robbie wanders his eyes up to the soft curves of her breasts and even from here he can see her nipples are hard. Flames spark in his groin and he knows if he spends more time here on the ladder, he might fall, his knees buckle already. So he reaches out his hand and takes a deep breath before he knocks quietly.

Cecilia flinches and turns, her face stern and – anxious. She looks around and makes sure that her door is locked, then she comes over and opens the window. Her lips curl into a smile as she steps back and lets Robbie climb into the room.

“What about the ladder?”

“Oh!”

Robbie looks out and gives the ladder a knock with his elbow. They hear a dull sound as it lands in the grass below.

“Uhm...”

Robbie ponders if that might have really been a smart move, considering that he needs to sneak out of the house before the morning probably. Very probably.

They stand, each in a separate corner of the room, staring at each other. Robbie feels his heartbeat quicken as he drinks in Cecilia´s appearance: Her cheeks are blushed rosy and her eyes dark and she has that earnest look on. He once more wonders if that´s the look she has reserved for him, this mixture between distance and longing, a stare that makes his insides twitch. They both don´t know what to say and for now there isn´t anything to say; Robbie feels that Cecilia too desires him to come close, to finish what they´d started hours ago in the library.

He takes a deep breath and then walks towards her, her chest heaves up and down and she tries to look away but she can´t, she´s taken with her love towards this young man. As Robbie stops just inches away from her, his head slightly tilted to the left, his lips already opening, she sighs, and she nods and she reaches out her hands - and they kiss.

It starts sweet and tender, just lips on lips, moving gently, breathing into each other´s mouth, but quickly their touching becomes more determined, almost desperate and Cecilia pulls Robbie close, lets her mouth wander over his cheeks, his chin, down his throat, making Robbie gasp and moan and she can feel his hardness pressing to her in the right places. She´s still embarrassed how again she seems to be so ready for him, but then again... hadn´t it been ages, months, weeks? – she doesn´t know, but that desire must have built for such a long time and now there´s no other way than fulfilment and she gives in. She wants him, she wants all of him...

He opens his eyes and their gazes lock.

“I´ve loved you forever, Cecilia...”

“I know... I´m sorry it took me so long.”

Seconds become minutes or even hours, times stretches into infinity as Robbie moves his hands down Cecilia´s shoulders and cups her breasts, his thumbs moving delicately around her nipples and she throws her head back and presses into him more.

Suddenly Robbie stops kissing her and Cecilia gasps at the loss of his lips, chasing after his tongue which tastes like an endless promise to her. Fabric rustles and Robbie drops to his knees. Cecilia swallows as she feels his hand slide up her thighs and further and then...

“Oh...”

She looks down and Robbie searches for her eyes, as if waiting for her permission and she bites her lip, having a slight idea what he wants to do to her. She moves her hands into his hair, tenderly stroking the dark locks from out of his face, admiring his beautiful face, his deep blue eyes, the love in his gaze, the moist lips and she pulls him close to her core.

Robbie let´s out an unearthly sound.

 _It´s going to happen._ _How long had he dreamt of exactly that. Yes, he wants to be in her, later... again... but now he needs this intimacy, to feel her, to taste her..._

He pulls her silken panty down and closes his eyes, then he reaches out and starts to kiss her skin, moving down and further. Cecilia´s hands roaming his scalp arouses him more and with a sudden impact of boldness he opens his lips and his tongue touches to the sweet spot, already hard under his caress and he licks it, fully aware how Cecilia bucks her hips and begins to shudder and he might even hear some indecent curse escape from her lips. He laughs around her and slides his tongue through her folds, dipping into her warm wetness, moaning deeply, pulling her closer, pushing his tongue in and then she cries... and she pleads... and he licks her all through her orgasm until she stops shaking.

Robbie breathes in and out, his eyes closed still and he takes in her scent, her taste and then he can´t wait any longer. In an endearingly sweet gesture he comes up again and lifts Cecilia with his strong arms, carries her over to her bed and begins to take his shirt off.

“Let me...”

She´s fierce now, her fingers working the buttons open nimbly and then she´s on his fly, fumbling with the buttons there and when he finally steps out of his underwear, she gasps. He´s rock hard and his stomach twists with pleasure seeing how her eyes feast on his naked body. He sits down on the bed and they engage in a deep breathy kiss again, Cecilia leaning back until Robbie is above her and he unties the knots of her dress until it falls to the sides and her full beauty is exposed before him. He can´t breathe for some time, she´s more than he could ever have wished for, she´s everything. She´s his.

He bows down to kiss every inch of skin he can reach, he wraps his mouth around her nipples and his hands wander down again where she´s soaking wet and warm and open for him. She moans his name a hundred times and pulls him over her and finally, finally he touches to her entrance and he pants, watches her as he enters her in long slow moves until he´s reached an edge. She bites her lips and they just look at each other and Robbie starts to thrust.

It´s different, it´s more intense, he doesn´t even need to pretend he´s somewhere else, he just feels – everything and it´s perfect. It´s bliss, it´s heaven, it´s lust and desire and then he know´s he´s close.

“Cecilia...”

“Robbie...”

“I´m... gonna...”

“Oh...”  
He knows she´s too young to risk eventual pregnancy and so they kiss deeply and he cautiously pulls out, leaving his hand down on her, giving her pleasure like this and as he turns away a bit, she moves her hand down and around him there – and he comes.


	5. What lies ahead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robbie and Cecilia discuss their future.

They spend hours in bed, naked, cuddling, kissing and sometime later they make love once more until they´re spent and damp and they fall asleep in each others´ arms.

Early in the morning, the dawn only settling, some birds chirping from afar, Cecilia sits up on her elbow and draws tender circles over Robbie´s chest.

“I love you, Robbie.”

“And I love you, Cecilia.”

He kisses her knuckles gently and watches her intently.

“But you´ll soon be away. You know... that´s why I was so upset. And now...”

Her eyes fill with tears. Robbie pulls her to his neck and blows sweet kisses into her hair. He doesn´t know what to say. To study medicine is his utter passion and he knows, he just knows he will be a good doctor; this is exactly what he wants to do with his life.

“I know...”

_Has he spoken his thoughts out loud?_

“I know how important it is to you, Robbie. And I know you will make a great doctor. I would never keep that from you. This...”

She nods outside with her chin.

“This is not where you belong. You´re gifted, you have a lot to give to this world.”

Robbie gulps.

“But Cecilia... When we can´t be together, what good is there...”

“Shshshsh...”

She lays a finger to his lips and her face lightens up.

“What if I join you? At university? What if I pick up my literature studies again? Or... you know I´ve always been interested in arts, father doesn´t care anyway... We can go together.”

Robbie thinks about it and his heart thuds happily.

“You would do that for me?”

“In fact, I will do that for me. And for us. I will die of boredom if I stay here and there´s nothing good I can do but with you... anywhere you are will be good with me.”

She beams and Robbie smiles. They kiss and he pulls her close, entwines his fingers with hers, his whole being filled with joy and happiness.

_A life for him and Cecilia. Far away from this. They can start anew. They can build their own life._

“I love you, Cecilia. And I will ask you to marry me one day. When I´ve enough money to care for our own little family.”

Silent tears roll down Cecilia´s cheeks.

What had started in such an awkward way only yesterday and then was on the verge of being lost forever has now become a promise.

A promise of a new life.

Love.

Laughter.

And Robbie.

_~ The End ~_

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who has ideas or inspirations you´d like to see in a story, just share them with me. You can also e-mail me at:  
> embersandturquoise@gmail.com


End file.
